


Have Faith

by Limax25



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 01:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6217330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limax25/pseuds/Limax25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow and Charming must continue leading the people of Storybrooke, even though their daughter is now the Dark One. An unexpected threat may tear their already fragile world apart. Starts during Season 5 of OUAT (so spoiler alert) but will eventually become its own storyline. Rated T-M. I own nothing but the plot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This started off as a one shot and then morphed into what it is today. I've put the short beginning one shots in the first chapter to make things more cohesive. Lots of adventure ahead :) Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

  
Snow and Charming walk Neal's stroller down the main street towards Granny's for the town meeting. Their son coos at them, trying to catch their attention. David pretends not to notice him, looking around as if confused, then says "Aha! I found you!" as he brings his face close to his son's. Even though this has happened at least fifteen times already, Neal giggles like it is still brand new. Snow watches her husband and son, smiling at them. Nothing warms her heart more than watching them interact.

In another life, she would have wished for her daughter, Emma, to have had these sweet moments with her father as a small child. Those hopes were ripped away from her when she and David were forced to send a newborn Emma through the enchanted wardrobe to the safety of this world in order for her to escape the curse Regina, her step mother and former Evil Queen, had cast. After twenty eight years, Emma came to Storybrook and broke the curse, saving all of their happy endings.

Now, more than anything, Snow wanted to save her daughter. Between leading the people of Storybrooke alongside her husband and trying to find a way to save Emma from the darkness, Snow had very few things to smile about these days. The whole town was determined to find a way to save Emma just as she saved them from the curse. Henry, Emma's son and Snow and David's grandson, was staying with his adopted mother Regina until the real Emma returned to them. Snow let out a sigh, still smiling at David and Neal, grateful for these moments of emotional reprieve with her little, but not yet whole again, family.

David, hearing her sigh, stops the stroller and inspects her face inquiringly. Snow's green eyes look into his blue ones, both of them silently reading each other. Snow smiles again, and wraps her arms around David's waist to ease his concern. Satisfied that she is alright, Charming kisses her temple, places his right arm around her shoulders, and continues pushing Neal's stroller with his left.

He has been worried about his wife. It has been weeks since Emma had become the Dark One, and the time spent in Camelot was still a mystery that was only beginning to become clear. The strong princess that led their people by day cried against his chest during the hardest nights. The prince was uneasy, more so since they had found the dream catcher that revealed Emma had purposefully broken Henry's heart. He felt torn, wanting to shield his loved ones from danger, but now, Emma was the danger.

Nothing in David and Snow's relationship had ever been easy, even from the very first moment they met, but they had always overcome their obstacles by having faith in one another and their love. He never wavered when it came to protecting his family. At least, until now. He may be one of the best swordsmen in all the realms, but he could not fight the dark magic with his sword. As a man of action, he felt useless and helpless. His heart wrenched as he thought of his daughter being overtaken by the darkness that night. His beautiful, brave little girl… His chest begins to tighten, so he releases a sigh of his own. Snow tightens her arms around his waist in understanding.

"I love you, Charming."

"And I you," he replies softly.

* * *

 

They enter the diner and are greeted by everyone who has already arrived. They choose their usual booth and Snow removes Neal from his stroller and places him on her left hip. He coos happily as he takes in the room full of people.

"Aren't you a little ham?" Snow says as Neal starts babbling at them all, delighting in the resulting laughter from everyone in the room. It was a stark contrast to the somber faces that had been present when they first entered the diner.

"That kid babbles on and on just like his dad," Grumpy teased, elbowing David lightly in the ribs.

David chuckled, clapped the dwarf on the shoulder, and began to go around the room greeting everyone. Snow shifted Neal around in her arms so he could still entertain the masses while she sat on the edge of the booth with him in her lap. She looked around the room and noticed that Regina, Henry, and Hook were still not there. Concern started to bubble up, but Snow beat it down, telling herself that sometimes people were late for simple reasons.

Red bustled over with two hot chocolates (with cinnamon of course) for Snow and David and a kiss for Neil. "Looks like almost everyone is here," she said. "Maybe give everyone else a few more minutes?"

"Yes, that sounds like a plan," Snow replies, kissing Neil on the top of his fuzzy head. I won't worry, she thought. They are just running late. Don't worry.

Red squeezed her hand, opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of a loud sneeze and breaking glass. She gave Snow an apologetic look, then bustled away to help Sneezy clean up his drink he accidentally blew off of the counter.

"We might have to get you your own plastic cups, Sneezy," Red joked.

"I ah..ahh... ahhhhh…" Doc quickly placed his pointer finger under Sneezy's nose, stifling the impending sneeze, "..'gree!"

Snow smiled a half smile. Some things never change, she thought. She took a sip from her mug, taking care not to put it within arm's reach of her son. She quickly licked the froth from her upper lip and looked up to see a pair of blue eyes observing her closely. Her breath caught in her chest and she tried to will herself not to blush. Only David could elicit this kind of physical response from her. Her David. Her Prince Charming. Her husband.

He smiled his charming smile, a look of concealed triumph on his face as if he could hear her thoughts. That look that was reserved just for her. A look of pure love, adoration, and a little heat. He's going to pay for that one later, she thought trying to steady her breathing and keep the red in her cheeks from deepening. Very rarely was she ever caught off guard, but her husband was usually the culprit. Charming had returned to his conversation with Granny and Grumpy but kept glancing her way, seemingly amused. Cheeky, she thought. She narrowed her eyes, sending him a mock glare.

Oh yes, he'll definitely be paying for this later.

Snow's attention went to the door as the bell rang and she breathed a sigh of relief as Henry walked in. He glanced around the diner and quickly made his way to David as soon as he caught sight of him. Snow stood, shifted Neal in her arms, and made her way to them. She hadn't missed for a second the worry on her grandson's face. Breathe, she thought, it will be ok.

"… nowhere, it's like she vanished. Gramps, I've looked everywhere," Henry was saying as she came alongside them.

"And Regina isn't answering her phone?"

"No, not even a text. She would never do that, especially now with everything that's going on with Mom…"

Snow put her hand on Henry's shoulder, trying to ease the panic that was emanating from him.

"When did you last see Regina, Henry?" she asked.

"About an hour ago. She was going to scout around town again for signs of Zelena while Robin put the baby to sleep. It's been almost a week so she's getting really antsy about where Mom took her. Robin doesn't like her going out alone so she waited for him to get distracted and made me promise not say anything. I know that cuff keeps Zelena from using magic but what if she found a way to get it off? What if Mom doesn't know and walks right into it? And Hook's not answering his phone either so I have no idea what's going on with him. I just have this really bad feeling, like something big is happening and all I am doing is wandering around lost and…"

Henry spun around as the bell on the door tinkled again and almost tackled the dark haired woman who entered to the ground.

"Henry! What..?" Regina gasped as he released her from his hug.

"You weren't answering your phone! I had no idea where you were! I went out and looked everywhere I could think of! I was about to break my promise and tell Robin!" he said all at once, words almost jumbling together because he said them so fast. Henry looked hard at her, waiting for her reply.

"You went out looking for me by yourself? Henry, you know you aren't…"

"Mom, do you really think I wouldn't go looking for you when you didn't answer my calls or texts? Come on…"

David could barely contain a snicker at the irony of his grandson telling his own mother off for not answering her phone. Wait until Emma hears about this one… he almost winced at that thought. Right on cue, as if she heard his thoughts, he felt Snow's hand entwining with his. She had moved to his side, cradling a slowly fading Neal in her arms, and seemed to be suppressing a smile of her own. He had seen the relief wash over her when Regina had entered the diner. He couldn't help but think of the many ironies this little town of Storybrooke had brought them, one of them being Regina going from the Evil Queen, their enemy, to close ally and friend.

"Better apologize to the kid before he grounds you," Red said, not even trying to suppress her mirth at all. Of course, all conversation in the diner had ceased when Regina showed up and everyone was looking on in amusement.

Regina glanced at Henry before pulling out her phone to check it. She sighed.

"Henry, sweetheart, I'm so sorry for worrying you. My phone was still on silent from when I was helping Robin with the baby. I just forgot to turn it back up again. Please forgive me."

"Of course Mom, I just… didn't know where you were. Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." Henry stepped forward and hugged Regina again, much to her relief.

"As much as I'm sure we all love these Charming Family Feels moments, can we get on with this meeting so we can set up the patrol parameter for the night?" Grumpy said.

"Can it, Gripey, I'm hugging my son here," Regina countered, but the humor in her eyes could not be missed.

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

The meeting ended fairly quickly as there wasn't much to discuss and update. A few changes in the watch here, another book for Belle to study there, and all was left was an empty feeling in all of their hearts. They were on edge, as if waiting for the proverbial pin to drop, but n othing was happening and, because nothing was happening, they didn't know what to prepare for. It was quite maddening.

David dismissed the meeting and began shaking everyone's hand as they filed out of the diner. Grumpy and the rest of the dwarves quickly bade goodnight and headed out to start the night watch. Hook never showed, which concerned Snow. She made a mental note to seek him out in the morning. She could sense Charming's unease and looked up at his face, seeing his brow furrowed slightly. She fought the urge to smooth his forehead with her fingertips, opting to kiss his shoulder instead as she left his side to retrieve the stroller.

Henry caught her halfway, giving her and Neal a quick hug goodbye. He then made his way to David, reaching to shake his grandfather's hand. David wasn't having it and pulled Henry into a tight hug. Snow laughed inwardly, always aware of her husband's ability to know what his loved ones truly need. David released Henry and squeezed the young man's shoulder reassuringly. Henry nodded and turned to join Regina in line to leave.

As Snow was returning a sleeping Neal to his stroller, she couldn't help but notice her stepmother's weariness. Her brow was furrowed, her posture tense, and she looked exhausted. Regina glanced at her, making eye contact, and then her expression changed to one of concern as she looked pointedly at Snow. Snow managed a small smile and a nod, acknowledging Regina's silent inquiry into her well being, fighting the tears that were threatening to betray her. Regina looked unconvinced but returned the nod and left the diner. Snow blinked her eyes quickly, trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her, and focused on her task of buckling Neal in.

"There, my sweet prince, all snug," she whispered, kissing her sleeping son on his forehead. She wrapped him tightly in his blankets to ward off the cold night air and began to maneuver the stroller around the tables to Charming's side. She waited for him to finish thanking Granny for letting them use the diner again before moving towards the door. Charming stepped in front, opening the door for them so she could get the stroller through.

Once outside, he took over the stroller, offering her his right arm with his most chivalrous expression, amusement in his eyes once again. She narrowed her eyes at him, remembering his antics before the meeting started. She relented though, wanting to be close to him, and threaded her left arm through his, closing her hold on him with her right, and leaned her head against his shoulder. After a few moments Charming spoke.

"I'm surprised you gave in to my charming ways to quickly, Snow. Are my powers becoming that great?"

"Nope. You're just lucky it's cold out here," she replied shortly, trying hard to keep the humor out of her voice. She must have been unsuccessful as she didn't even have to look to know he was smiling. She met his gaze.

"Don't get cheeky Charming. I'm not above throwing you in a river again."

She heard his low, rhythmic chuckle. He shifted his arm to circle around her waist as they continued towards the loft.

"Careful Snow, I might just pull you in with me."

She was rather enjoying this lighthearted banter and, from the glint in his eyes as he looked at her, so was he. She knew he was trying to distract her and lighten her mood. Two could play at that game.

"You'd have to catch me first, Charming," she teased.

"Oh, we both know I am well adept at that. I'll find you."

He had stopped to look at her directly as he spoke the last three words to her. While his expression still carried his feigned nonchalant attitude, his eyes held so much passion behind those words and what they meant to them that it made her breath catch. The corners of David's mouth lifted slightly at her physical response to him, and he ran both hands slowly up and down her arms, never breaking his gaze from hers.

She instinctively raised her left hand to his face, caressing the scar on his chin with her thumb. He responded, leaning into her touch, eyes closing. He trailed his fingers from her shoulder down her arm, silently cursing the winter coat she was wearing as it inhibited him from feeling her smooth skin. He continued until he reached the hand that cupped his face. He kissed her knuckles and then the wedding ring on her finger.

Snow could feel her breathing quicken at his touches and her body pressing itself closer to him. She watched him as he opened his eyes with a look that made her pulse quicken. She raised herself on her tip toes, moving her hand from his to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. He placed his forehead on hers and she could feel his unsteady breath on her face, the smell of hot chocolate invitingly warm in the cold night air. Charming ran his hand through her short hair and to her neck, the coldness in his hands causing her to shiver.

Snow had so hoped he didn't notice. The heat was pooling in her, wanting his hands on her skin. Unfortunately, hardly anything ever escapes her husband's notice. Charming sighed and moved his hand back down to her arm instead. She silently cursed this weather to the deepest parts of the underworld. Charming swallowed thickly and kissed her forehead. He reluctantly released her and turned slightly, placing a hand back on the stroller.

"Let's get you two home, ok? The last thing any of us need is a trip to the hospital for pneumonia."

The disappointed glare she gave him was so great it made him chuckle. He kissed her nose, taking note of how cold it was.

"Come on, do you want Doc to chase me down with his pick axe?"

"Don't worry, I'd protect you," she quipped. He laughed at that, winding his arm around her waist again. They both could feel the familiar electric tension between them, and achingly began to walk towards their loft again. Luckily, it wasn't much farther.


	3. Chapter 3

As they reached the front of their building, David kissed Snow's temple before reluctantly releasing her so she could remove Neal from his stroller. Their son started to whimper as he woke and Snow snuggled him to her chest, his head under her chin. As he quieted down again, she kissed the top of his head and turned her eyes to David. He had stopped folding up the stroller to watch them, and she smiled in response to the tenderness in his gaze. He had always known Snow would make a wonderful mother, and he felt privileged to be able to raise their son with her. Somehow, motherhood made her even more beautiful. She practically glowed, which stoked even more love for her than he already had.

He opened the door for her to walk through and, needing to touch her, gently guided her through with his hand at the small of her back. He finished folding up the stroller and followed his wife and son up the stairs to their loft. Snow had unlocked the door already and was carrying Neal to his crib in their bedroom. Although Emma was not living with them at the moment, they never even considered moving Neal to her room. It was hers and it would be there when she came back to them.

David removed his coat and scarf and kicked his shoes off on the rug by the door. He entered his and Snow's bedroom and saw Snow cradling Neal while sitting on the edge of their bed. She was nursing their son, a sight that always moved him. It was another way she could be a mother, another moment that could bring her joy. David sat behind her on the bed and Snow leaned back into his chest. He placed his chin on her shoulder and looked down to watch Neal.

"He's almost asleep," Snow whispered.

"Mmhmm," David responded softly. "Would you like anything warm to drink? You still feel cold." He could feel her smile against his cheek.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you Charming."

He kissed her shoulder and quietly made his way to the kitchen. He poured water in the kettle, set it on the stove, and reached up to grab two mugs from the cabinets. He heard Snow shut their bedroom door and turned to watch her step out of her shoes and remove her hat. She turned to him, gazing in such a way that made his breath catch. Her eyes sparkled as she began slowly unbuttoning her coat, a slight smile on her lips, and he knew he was done for.

Any thought of tea was wiped from his mind as he strode towards her, backed her against the wall, and kissed her. She chuckled happily against his lips, moving her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He obliged, flushing himself against her and moving his hands under her sweater, ghosting his fingertips along the skin of her hips. She whimpered appreciatively at that, the playfulness of the moment before turning into want and need as her body involuntarily moved against his.

He ducked his head, nipping at her jawline as he pushed her coat off her shoulders. Snow shuddered as his hands returned under her shirt and made their way to her back, his mouth moving to suck just below her ear. As the heat inside her built, Snow was getting impatient. She brought her hands to his chest, working at the buttons of his flannel shirt. She wanted to see his strong muscles as they worked, wanted to feel the heat coming off of him as she kissed his skin. She wanted to pour all of her love into him, and feel his as well.

David brought his forehead to hers, satisfied to see his wife was already breathing rather heavily, and caressed her neck as she worked. She pushed his shirt off him and tugged up on his thermal undershirt. He obliged, pulling the shirt off, smiling at her impatience. Snow ran her hands along his torso down to the waist of his jeans as David ran his fingers through her hair. He shifted her back against the wall, left arm around her waist, leaning against his right forearm placed on the wall above her head. With a small moan, he ducked his head to reclaim her lips as she brushed her fingertips along his waistline. As he moved his left hand to trace his thumb just below her bra line, Snow broke the kiss.

"Charming," she breathed, raw need in her voice as he moved to remove her shirt.

_Ring… ring… ring…_

David groaned, fighting the urge to throw his work phone out the window, but silenced it instead.

"Charming?" Snow whispered uncertainly.

"It'll go to voicemail," he growled, pulling her into another searing kiss. He needed her just as she needed him. These moments were rare and he did not want them to lose this.

_Ring… ring…_

David broke their kiss, trying to catch his breath and control his temper.

"David…" Snow sighed, moving her hands to his chest. The fact that someone had tried contacting her husband twice in these last few minutes concerned her. David glanced at the worry on her face, cleared his throat, and reluctantly reached for the phone in his pocket. He was still leaning against Snow, right forearm above her head. She moved her hands behind his back, rubbing smooth circles into his tense muscles. He placed a grateful kiss on her forehead before answering the phone.

"Sheriff's office, David speaking."

Snow smiled faintly, noticing how husky his voice sounded. There were many things about Charming that she was in love with, but she especially loved that she was the only one that could make his voice sound like that. She faintly heard a voice speaking to David on the other line. His brow furrowed as he listened. He straightened, gently pulling Snow's shirt back down properly before placing his free hand on his hip as he continued to listen.

"Is there any evidence as to how it happened?" he asked. "Okay. Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. Yeah, just be careful."

David hung up and looked at Snow.

"That was Grumpy. Apparently there's a burning car in the middle of the woods."

Snow's gasped, hands coming up to cover her mouth.

"Is there anyone inside?"

"No, not that they could tell. They are combing the area but.."

"..you need to get out there," she finished. He sighed, wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm _so_ sorry."

"Charming," she pulled back, cupping his face in his hands, "Go. I'll be here waiting until you come home."

He smiled and her breath caught at the amount of love his blue eyes expressed. He brushed her lips with his again.

"I love you, Snow. With all that I am."

She smiled wide. "And I love you. Be safe and come back to me."

"Always," he replied. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "You should get some sleep. This might take a while."

"Charming, I'll be in our bed waiting up for you whether you like it or not." She had arched her eyebrow, a playful smile appearing on her lips once more.

He chuckled, kissing her again before getting ready to go out once more. Snow leaned against the door frame and watched as David grabbed his badge, gun, and coat. No matter if it was a gun or a sword, Charming preparing for potential danger always put her on edge, especially when she wasn't able to go with him. He stopped on the way out the door to kiss her once more.

"Be safe, Charming," she said softly, holding the collar of his jacket in her hands. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her arms reassuringly.

"I'll be back before you know it. I love you."

Snow nodded and gave him a small smile. "Love you, too."

* * *

  
Snow shut the door and bolted it as Charming left, hand lingering on the door handle for a brief moment. Her skin was still tingling from their passionate moment before, and she wanted nothing more than to go out and steal him away from his responsibilities. He needed her just as she needed him and she wanted to show him just how much that was. For right now though, she knew he needed to be the sheriff. Forcing her hand off of the door handle, she made up her mind to wait up for him, just as she'd promised she would.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing her nerves to calm down. She had started to feel almost silly for being on edge all evening until Grumpy's call. Now, she wondered if her intuition was correct the whole time. Although, who would leave a car randomly burning in the middle of the woods? It wasn't exactly the sort of thing any of their enemies would really go for. It was crude and lacked finesse. Still, something was nagging at her in the back of her mind. Something wasn't right. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

Grumpy had told David over the phone that there was no one inside of the car, so that was a start. Not that arson wasn't serious, but at least David could will himself to delegate some of the investigation to Thomas, Robin, or other members of the guard. If it involved an injured person, however, he would take on all of the responsibilities himself. He had been running himself ragged as of late trying to handle the sheriff's station on his own. Snow had intended on having the conversation of hiring a temporary deputy to assist him but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Between parenting Neal, their responsibilities as Prince and Princess, and trying to find a way to free Emma from the darkness, they'd had few moments to themselves where they didn't just fall asleep in exhaustion in each other's arms at the end of the day.

As Snow's thoughts strayed to Emma, her heart ached. Snow would give anything to call her right now, asking if she knew anything about the car and if she would back up her father on the case right now. Regretfully, she knew that it was impossible at this point, considering the amount of secretiveness and manipulation that surrounded the new Dark One. No, as much as she wanted to trust her daughter, she couldn't call her. No one knew Emma's end game yet and, especially after the incident with the dream catcher and events with Merida, Snow knew they needed to tread carefully.

After poking her head into their bedroom to make sure Neal was still asleep, she went to the kitchen and put a pot on the stove to warm some milk for hot chocolate. Sleepy Time tea could not calm her nerves quite like her signature beverage. She mixed in the cocoa and dashed the whipped cream and cinnamon on top and made her way to the couch. She briefly considered putting pajamas on but decided that Charming may prefer helping her get ready for bed when he returned. She smiled, imagining just how much her husband would enjoy that. She very much would too, for that matter.

She took a sip of cocoa, thoughts wandering to Charming again as she looked out the window. How she hated not being there as his back up...

_BOOM_

Snow dropped her mug and shot up from the couch, instinct carrying her to where her husband's sword hung over one of the dining chairs. Whatever caused that noise had shaken the whole building and there was a loud rushing sound, like a waterfall was on the other side of the wall in her bedroom. Wind suddenly whipped around her causing most of the loft's contents to fall to the floor and get jammed up against the walls. Despite the sudden roar of noise, Snow could feel her heartbeat thudding in her ears. Her adrenaline surging, she unsheathed the sword and ran to get Neal, who was screaming in the next room.

* * *

 

David reluctantly left his wife in their loft and made his way down the stairs and outside to his truck. Everything in him wanted to turn around and continue what he and his bandit princess had started, but he couldn't shake off his responsibilities as sheriff right now. In this regard, he knew he was walking a fine line. Although Snow was as supportive as ever, he wasn't giving her the attention he felt she should be afforded. His son had already spent so much time in his short life apart from them when they had gone off on rescue missions. His daughter was overtaken by darkness.

It took everything in him to ignore the guilt and to continue trying to be strong, fulfilling his duties as husband, father, and Prince. Unfortunately, he was so spread out with all of his responsibilities that none of those things were getting the full attention they deserved. He had considered hiring someone to temporarily help him at the station, but couldn't bring himself to do it. It felt like replacing Emma, and that thought brought on the most guilt of all. Still, he needed to think of something. While his family wasn't yet whole again, they had to patch up what they could until a solution could be found. They needed to have faith and make the best out of what they had now. He sighed, making the decision to talk with Snow about this when he got home but, for now, a crime scene needed investigated.

He inserted the keys into the ignition and the engine fired up. After turning on the heat he put the truck in gear and turned it towards the woods, hoping that nothing further was found in regards to possible persons in the burning car. He glanced up to look at the sky. Even from the lit streets of Storybrooke, he could see the smoke rising from the trees, indicating the scene wasn't too far into the forest.

He drove the truck down the dirt road he knew would lead him as close as he could get to where the smoke was billowing up. As he approached the clearing Grumpy had described to him, he saw the car through the trees. It looked like the fire had come down to a smolder but he could still make out the outline of the frame contrasting against the light of the embers. He could see Doc and Happy inspecting the area nearby, so he got out of his truck and approached them. Hearing footsteps, Doc looked up.

"Your Highness," he acknowledged.

Happy turned at Doc's voice and, seeing David, bowed his head slightly before turning back to what they were looking at. Although they knew of his lack of royal heritage, the dwarves still referred to David like a member of nobility. Regardless of his insistence that they could drop the formalities if they wished, they did not. Well, all of them except Grumpy. He called him whatever choice words he had in mind at the moment. David decided long ago that as long as Grumpy spoke to him at all they were on decent, if not good, terms. When it came to the dwarves, David knew to heed his wife's advice: just go with it.

"Gentlemen," David nodded. "What's the word?"

"There was no one in the car. In fact, it doesn't appear there was anything in the car at all. It looked as though it was set on fire using a chemical to make it smoke and burn faster. Although, it is hard to tell if that wasn't caused by a full gas tank," Doc replied.

David mentally breathed a sigh of relief at the news of no persons being present in the vehicle. He glanced around, knowing the dwarves would have set up a parameter already.

"Any clues in the canvassed area about what happened?" he inquired.

"No, but we are going around again to be certain," Happy replied as he continued searching between nearby bushes. "We called Red. She should be able to sniff out anything unusual that we may have missed."

David nodded and looked around, catching glimpses of flashlights around the parameter of the crime scene.

"Were there any tire tracks?" he asked.

"None that we could see. It was like the car was dropped from the sky and set on fire. It's quite strange," Doc replied, looking pointedly at David. "It's like whoever did it wanted it to be found quickly."

David turned Doc's words over in his mind and pursed his lips. It had been something that nagged at him on the drive here. Why would someone just burn a car in the middle of the woods just to burn a car? It made no sense. He supposed he could chalk it up to a prank but doing something like this would be going pretty far, even by potentially angry displaced Enchanted Foresters standards. No, something wasn't right about this. In fact, it was almost like…

David froze. It was almost like he and Snow's first meeting. She had cut down the tree as an ambush tactic in order to rob him, which ended up being a diversion more than anything. A diversion from noticing what she was about to do until it was too late. David turned, scanning the area, unease rising quickly. If this was an ambush, they were all too vulnerable out in the open like this. He vaguely noticed the remaining dwarves had rejoined the group as he listened for any sign of an approaching attack. Grumpy gruffly clearing his throat broke his train of thought. David briefly glanced at him, tilted his head towards the dark forest, and continued to scan their surroundings. The dwarves followed his lead, though unsure of what had him on edge.

"Highness, is something wrong?" Sleepy whispered, covering up the following yawn with his hand.

"Any of you get the feeling that this is a set up?" David responded quietly, placing his hand on the gun at his hip, ready to draw it if necessary. He was still getting used to not carrying his sword around as his primary weapon. He much preferred it to the firearms of this realm but, like with everything else, he'd had to adjust to the new way of doing things.

The dwarves, taking their cue from him, gripped their pick axes tightly and peered into the trees as well. All of them jumped at the sudden boom that rang through the forest, sounding like a deep clap of thunder, which then turned into total silence. David's senses went into overdrive, sure that the noise had come from the town. He and the dwarves sprinted towards their vehicles, ready to head back.

_Ring... ring… ring…_

David started, the ring of his phone cutting through the silence of the previous moment. He blindly answered his phone while his other hand was fumbling for his keys and his eyes still remained warily on the forest.

"Snow?"

"No, it's Red…" His breath caught. _Why hasn't Snow called yet?_ He attempted to brush this thought aside, trying to focus on Red. She sounded as if she was running.

"…coming your way. What was that?"

"I don't know, it sounded like it came from town. Where are you?"

"Halfway to the clearing," she managed. "I'm turning back."

"We'll be right behind you. Be careful."

"Always am," she countered, her wit never lessening with the gravity of any situation. David let out a nervous laugh at that as he hung up, glad for some form of normalcy tonight. He glanced at his phone, found Snow's name in the "recent calls" menu, and pushed Send as he pulled his truck out of the clearing.

"Answer, Snow," he mumbled as he made his way onto the paved road that led into Storybrooke. Glancing in his rear view mirror, he saw the truck carrying the dwarves right behind him. He bit back a curse as the call went to voicemail and was about to try again when another call was coming in. Seeing who it was, he quickly answered, "Regina."

"David, what the hell is going on out there?"

"I don't know but I'm headed back into town now. I need to check on Snow. I haven't heard from her."

He was trying his best to control the panic that was rising in him, but judging by Regina's silence on the other line he wasn't doing a very good job of it. After a moment, she responded.

"Keep me informed. Robin and I will be out as soon as we can."

"Thank you," he managed in response. He tossed his phone on the passenger seat and sped as fast as he dared towards the loft.


	4. Chapter 4

David slammed on the brakes in front of their building, looking up at the loft's windows as he blindly shifted the car in park. The street lights were flickering, and he could see the lights inside of the loft were as well. The dwarves pulled up behind him as he clambered out of his truck, pulling his gun out of its holster on the way to the door. Adrenaline surging, he entered the building and started up the stairs before startled shouts stopped him in his tracks. He turned around and saw Grumpy and Happy sprawled on the ground outside, their brothers hurrying to help them up.

"What happened, are you alright?" David yelled, torn between helping his friends and continuing up the stairs. They both appeared unhurt, just angry as hell (for Happy especially, that was saying something).

"We got thrown back! There's some sort of magic here," Grumpy growled, approaching the doorway again, cautiously pushing on the invisible barrier with his hand. He wasn't thrown again, but it was clear he would not be getting through. He looked up, making eye contact with David, a silent request for orders since they were stuck outside.

"Call Regina," David responded immediately, turning to continue up the stairs two at a time. Gods, I wish Emma was here, he thought, his heart in his throat.

He reached the landing and made to open the door to their loft, but it was locked. Without hesitation, he stepped back and kicked the door open, weapon at the ready. There was no noise save for the sound of the lamps flickering, and the loft was in shambles. Almost everything they owned was broken or scattered across the floor. He slowly stepped inside, scanning the room for any sign of danger, ears straining for any sound of Snow and Neal. He went to unsheathe his sword only to discover that it was already removed from the scabbard.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to raise his gun as he spun to face whomever was trying to catch him off guard. His breath hitched when he saw that it was Snow. He began to lower his weapon at once, relief washing over him like a tidal wave as he took a step toward her, until he saw her face. Her lip was swollen and bloody and her left eye looked scraped and bruised near her temple. Snow's eyes were wide and looking at him pointedly. Her expression was one that he recognized, a mixture of desperation and determination. She was warning him. David started toward her, intent on having her close to him, but a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Well, you have certainly been busy while I've been.. away," sneered the voice, causing David to reflexively raise his weapon again as the man himself entered the room from the bedroom.

It wasn't necessarily the sight of the former king that caused David's blood to boil and turn to ice at the same time, but the sight of his son in George's arms. With a smirk, George shifted Neal so he was sitting upright in his left arm, David's sword in his right. The action effectively blocked any shot David would have had, not that he'd ever risk accidentally harming Neal. He now understood Snow's warning looks and why she'd stood between him and their bedroom door.

Gun still raised, David met George's glare with equal fervor. How did he escape his cell? In a voice barely restraining his rage, David said, "What do you want?"

"Oh, I think we both know the answer to that question, David," George replied lowly, smile not reaching his eyes. Neal was squirming, trying to reach for Snow, who was still facing David. Snow's eyes filled with tears as Neal began to whimper.

"Let them go, they have nothing to with this. They shouldn't suffer because of my choices," David tried to reason, hands itching to at least pull Snow closer. Why wasn't she coming to him? It was two against one. They could disarm the deranged old man and be done with this.

"On the contrary, they have everything to do with this." George stepped closer to stand beside Snow, almost brushing her arm with his own. David aimed truer, the intensity of seeing George being so close to his wife and son while armed making him hear his own pulse roaring in his ears.

George, appearing pleased with David's response, continued, "They are a representation. They are everything my son should have had. Of course, he would have married Princess Abigail, not this bandit tramp," George said with distaste. "You never did have much sense, shepherd. You should have known to obey me when you'd had the chance. Instead, you defied me. I should strike you down right now and make them watch. However, I'll be kind, and give you the opportunity to say goodbye."

"Never," David spat, stepping forward.

" _Charming_ ," Snow whispered suddenly, eyes imploring him to stay. He stopped and stared at her, trying to read her expressions. _Why had she not moved?_ Her eyes closed, expression looking pained the instant she'd spoken his name.

David's brow furrowed. "Snow?"

George chuckled menacingly. "Yes listen to your woman, shepherd," he jeered, "while you can still call her yours."

David's resolve snapped at that moment and he started to lunge between his family and their captor, looking to disarm him. At least, he tried to. Suddenly, his muscles seized up and his body stiffened as he stood. He couldn't move at all, barely feeling himself breathing. Snow was looking at him again, tears streaming down her cheeks. She can't move either, David realizes, panic setting in as he tries with everything in him to break whatever magic held him still.

"Are you done playing, old man?" another voice quipped from the bedroom. "The longer we stay here listening to your bullshit the sooner their daughter will show up and I'm not in the mood to kick the Dark One's ass today."

A young woman emerged from the bedroom, expression almost bored except for the look of pure hatred she shot David.

_Lily. This was her magic._

"Patience is a virtue, my dear," George replied easily, "and I have been waiting very patiently for this."

David, unable to move, watched as George lightly brushed Snow's arm with the knuckles of his hand holding the sword, eyes gleaming at David.

"I'll give it to you, shepherd, she is beautiful. She will make a beautiful queen. After all," he hissed threateningly, "this child will need a new father when we return to our realm and I'm sure his mother will do anything to ensure his safety."

_No!_ David's mind reeled as he fought against his invisible bonds. _No, no, no, I'm not losing them again._ His eyes searched Snow's, seeing her fighting her invisible bonds as well.

"I'm opening it now," Lily ordered, removing her necklace and holding it in her now glowing palm.

* * *

 

Snow had entered her bedroom amidst the howling wind and flickering lights, Charming's sword in her hand. Of all the things running in her mind, her first and foremost thought was protecting her baby. She saw Neal's cradle overturned and let out a cry, rushing forward to pick up her son. She looked inside and around the cradle. He wasn't there.

"Neal?" she whispered, eyes frantically searching the rest of the room. She turned, so focused on her task that she was not able to react in time as someone struck her, sending her to the floor. Faintly registering that she'd hit her head against the dresser she leapt to her feet again, ready to defend herself. As suddenly as it came, the howling wind quieted, leaving the loft eerily quiet. Not that Snow noticed as she surveyed the two people in front of her, one of whom held her son.

"Hello, Snow White," jeered the former king, with a triumphant smile that did not reach his cold eyes. Neal was holding perfectly still in his arms, looking at Snow with wide eyes. He didn't appear hurt, but Snow's hands itched to have him in her arms.

Sword still raised in front of her, Snow looked from Neal, to George, then to the remaining woman who was leaning against the wall. Lily looked almost bored, fiddling with her necklace and watching the proceedings as one would observe a casual game of tennis.

"What do you want?" Snow questioned lowly, gaze returning to George. She was relieved to hear the words come out evenly despite the fact that her heart felt like it was currently residing in her throat.

"Still skipping pleasantries I see. Good. We haven't much time before your charming shepherd arrives, I'm sure," George rejoined, observing her with amusement.

Snow clenched her jaw, anger rising. "If you even _think_ about.." she began, stepping towards him. Suddenly, she wasn't moving at all. She felt her body freeze, hand still holding her husband's sword.

"Oh, not to worry. I'm not here to kill him. No, no. I have something better in mind. You see," George continued, stepping towards Snow and removing David's sword from her hand, "I want him to _suffer_ , not die. After all you have taken from me, I deem that only fair don't you? Lily, release her so we can discuss our arrangement."

Lily rolled her eyes but did as George requested. Snow stumbled a bit as her body regained its motion. She felt like she'd just run a few miles.

"I won't let you hurt my family. Not again," Snow spat, trying to steady herself. George chuckled menacingly.

"You have no weapon and I have your son. What harm will you attempt to do to me? Even when your husband does arrive, there is nothing to prevent me from striking him down right here before you. Except _you_ , if you agree with our arrangement."

_No. Not Charming. Not Neal. No._

Snow fought back tears, gazing at Lily imploringly, searching for some sign that this wasn't real, that this was a mistake. All Lily did was stare unblinkingly back at her.

"What exactly is your arrangement?" Snow asked shakily, desperation beginning to seep through her confidence.

"You will return, with me, to our land. I am the true king, born of noble blood. I will return to my throne with you as my queen and your son as my heir. In return, I give my word to not kill your shepherd." George smirked, and added, "He will, of course, be forced to behave himself if he tries to free you."

"Why would I do any of that?" Snow attempted, already knowing the answer.

"Because I will kill your husband. And then you. What a waste that would be. You can consider yourself lucky. I had intended to only acquire this boy but Lily insisted that you accompany us. Given that she is the only means of returning to our land, I amended my initial intent."

Snow glanced at Lily again. This time, Lily's eyes shone with the same look Snow would sometimes see in Emma's eyes. Loneliness. Fear. Abandonment. Sadness. Anger.

"No child should be forced from its mother," Lily said quietly. "Even yours."

Snow gasped, tears now falling as her mind raced. She needed to stall. Charming would be here any moment, hopefully with help. They weren't going to lose each other again. He just needed time.

"What was the purpose of destroying our home when you could just as easily let yourself in the front door?" she asked, grasping at anything she could.

Lily snorted, her indifference masking her face again. "Apparently you didn't know Emma placed a protection barrier on your loft then?"

Snow's heart skipped a beat. No, she hadn't known that. It must have shown in her facial expression because Lily added, "Took more force than finesse. Not my best work but it did the job. My mother taught me about barrier magic. I have my own around your home now."

Snow blinked. "You're leaving Maleficent." She said it as a statement instead of a question.

"For now," Lily replied, bringing her hand back to her necklace. A piece of the egg she was hatched from, Snow remembered. "I need to find my father. I've searched all over this town. I think he is back in.. our land," Lily finished slowly, as if testing out how those last two words sounded.

"She doesn't know you're leaving," Snow guessed.

Lily shook her head. Snow opened her mouth to speak again but George interrupted.

"Enough. Do we have an agreement?"

Snow glared at him, then turned back to Lily and said, "You don't need him, Lily. He will only betray you in the end. Don't fall for his false promises."

"He knows the kingdoms," she rejoined. "My mother refused to go back. She's enjoying her time here. She… wants it to be just us. I want more than that. I want to know my own story. Besides, I don't trust you either and you have the Dark One for a daughter. So, I'll take my chances on him."

"Enough!" George spat, patience clearly spent. "Do we have an agreement?"

Snow hesitated, looking at Neal's pleading eyes. His lower lip trembled and he had started reaching towards her, looking for comfort. No, she couldn't leave him. If she and David were killed, Neal would be raised by this tyrant. The thought of that alone made Snow's stomach churn. If she agreed and left to return to the Enchanted Forest, Charming would live. He would find them again, she knew. He always did.

At that moment, all three adults turned at the sound of shouting coming from downstairs.

_Charming no_ , Snow thought, wishing he could hear her.

"Well, it seems you have some rather quick thinking to do. Lily," George said, turning to her, "you know what to do. I don't want either of these fools getting ideas."

Lily nodded and turned towards Snow. Snow felt her body seize up again as she struggled against it.

"Don't fight it," Lily calmly instructed. "Just do what needs done. For your son."

* * *

 

And so, there Snow stood, tears on her cheeks, watching Charming fight his own invisible bonds as furiously as she was hers. She'd fought hard to say his name, to warn him, but Lily had regained control. As the air crackled with magic, Snow knew there wasn't much time left. Emma had been protecting them with magic. Maybe she would come if she felt the barrier being broken. It would certainly more than evenly match this battle that had started a lifetime ago.

The building shook and Lily looked up from the necklace in her hand. "The Evil.. Regina.. is trying to get through my barrier. I suggest you finish this."

"Now, my dear," George sneered as he brushed quickly past Snow, "I believe it's time to make your choice."

He strode over to stand behind David, placing the blade of the sword on the side its owner's neck. A small amount of blood started trickling at the slightest touch of the sharpened blade against skin.

"No!" Snow cried, stumbling forward, hands raised. She inhaled a shuddering breath, realizing she'd been freed to make her choice. Neal was openly crying in George's arms, now trying to reach for David.

Snow swallowed hard, stepping closer to David. "Please. Wait," she whispered.

"Your choice, Snow White. Foolish distractions will not work." As if to prove his point, he pressed the blade harder against Charming's neck.

"At least let me say goodbye," she said quickly, her tear filled green eyes gazing longingly into Charming's blue ones. George seemed to be assessing her and she could practically feel Lily's gaze boring into her back, but she only had eyes for Charming. Her love. Her husband. Her hero in any land. Even now, he stood frozen in his battle stance, ready to sacrifice himself for his family.

George removed the sword from David's neck, backing towards Lily, blade still at the ready. Snow glared at him as he held Neal, but turned to rush towards Charming, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him as more tears spilled over. Oh, how she wished he could kiss her back. Eyes closed, she broke the kiss, breathing him in.

"I love you. I am in love with you. In every way and for every reason, Charming."

Pulling away, she placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beat beneath her palm. She met his eyes and saw saw his tumultuous emotions reflecting from them as he gazed back at her.

"I have to protect Neal, Charming," she whispered, voice breaking. "I can't let him return to the Enchanted Forest alone." She moved her hands behind his neck, hugging his unmoving form as best she could as she silently sobbed into his shoulder. She knew it must be killing him not to touch her, comfort her, speak to her. She kissed his neck, noting that the bleeding had already slowed.

A warm glow was growing in the loft, and she could feel the beginning of a portal opening on the floor behind her. It was almost time then. She fleetingly wondered at how Lily was doing it.

The necklace, she suddenly realized, gripping Charming's jacket collar. She met his eyes again, seeing him frantically looking between the portal and her gaze.

"Charming, the necklace," she breathed as quietly as possible. "The necklace opened the portal."

"Say goodbye to the shepherd, Snow White," George boomed over the rushing sound of the portal as he raised David's sword precariously close to Neal. "It's time we return to our kingdom,"

Snow pulled herself up, hugging Charming tightly again, her forehead rested on his. "Find me," she breathed before kissing him once more, pouring in every ounce of love that she could. "I love you."

With those words, she backed away, tears freely falling as she gazed at him. George grabbed her arm to pull her closer to himself and it took all of the control she possessed not to make him pay dearly for that. He still had Neal, after all.

"I'll go with the boy. Then you. Then Lily," he ordered. Snow nodded faintly. This was really happening.

She watched as George and Neal disappeared into the portal, then turned to Lily who was still holding her necklace in her palm.

_The necklace._

Snow moved so quickly that Lily was barely able gasp before her necklace was knocked out of her hand and she was falling into the portal. Snow was balancing perilously on the edge of falling in and regaining her balance when strong arms pulled her to safety. She was turned and pulled into a demanding kiss, David flushing her body against his own. It was more than heat. More than fear. It was love and a promise and all those things that were wonderfully Charming.

He broke the kiss, breathing heavily. "I'll find you, Snow," he rasped.

"Always," she replied with a tearful smile. She stepped towards the portal, hand still linked with his until she was as far away as their arms would allow. He kissed her hand, his tears falling on her skin, and she let go.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: In case any of you were confused, I started this story before the episode where Red uses a magic bean to return to the EF. That's why she's here. And I just love her friendship with Snowing.**

* * *

 

"Why are you all standing out here?" came Red's breathless voice as she ran up to the group of dwarves huddled outside of Snow and Charming's loft.

"We can't get through," Happy replied, begrudgingly rubbing his still sore shoulder.

"What do you mean, what happened?" she asked, looking at the perfectly open doorway.

"We tried to go in but we got kicked out by magic, sister," spat Grumpy, still very much irritable at being thrown on his backside while on a rescue mission. After all, it seemed like that's what this was becoming.

The young woman sniffed and looked up at the loft windows. "I can't hear or smell anything. What kind of magic is this?"

There conversation was halted, however, as Red's head turned, alert for some reason the others couldn't hear or see yet. Grumpy looked up as the headlights of Regina's car came into view a few moments later, glad she'd answered his phone call. The dwarves had been waiting outside Snow's building, poking and prodding at the barrier to see if it would let up. Sneezy had tried hitting it with his pick axe and paid dearly when it rebounded and he was hit just above his eye with the blunt end. Doc was trying to patch him up with the first aid kit now.

Regina, Robin, and Henry exited their vehicle and hurried over, all glancing up at the loft windows. Robin, as usual, had his bow and arrow already at the ready and, Grumpy noticed with a swell of pride, Henry had his sword gifted to him by his grandfather. The Prince, not the Dark One. Grumpy winced at his own thoughts, the situation with Emma coming to mind, reminding him of Rumpelstiltskin's new found mortality. Either way, the imp was an ass, and Grumpy didn't trust him.

"Has anyone been able to get through?" Regina asked, business-like as usual when these sorts of things befell them all.

She'd removed her gloves, glancing briefly at Sneezy to answer her own question, then looked up at the windows of the loft again. Grumpy still held some bitterness in his heart towards the former Evil Queen, but he trusted Snow's opinion of Regina's reformation. Well, more Charming's in this case as the Prince tended to be more leery about granting amnesty to former enemies who'd tried to murder them all countless times. And, Grumpy had to admit, Regina was a useful ally.

"Not since David went in," Grumpy replied gruffly. Nothing made him, well, grumpier than the frustration of being trapped on the outside of yet another adventure, unable to help his friends. He'd been especially irritable lately due to not finding a way to change Dopey from a tree back into a dwarf.

"The lights stopped flickering, but we haven't seen nor heard anything since he went in," he continued.

Regina considered his answer for a moment before carefully approaching the doorway, palms up. Everyone held their breath as they watched her halt, her hands skimming over the invisible barrier. She pursed her lips into a thin line and her brow furrowed as she continued to work.

"What is it Mom?" Henry asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Barrier magic. Very sophisticated barrier magic."

"Do you know who might have placed it?" Bashful asked, going beet red the moment the words left his lips. It was a testament to how worried he was about Snow and her family that he spoke out loud at all. Regina minutely shook her head.

Robin tilted his head in curiosity. "You can tell who did it?"

"All magic has a signature. A feeling or color or smell," Regina responded, still focused on the doorway.

"Like light magic and dark magic looks different," Henry supplied. Regina smiled at Henry over her shoulder and nodded before turning back to the barrier.

"That's right. And if you're advanced enough you can also sense the signature of whomever cast the magic. If you know what to look for," she continued.

"You aren't sure who's this is though," Robin guessed after a brief pause, watching her intently, looking as if he'd do anything to pull her away from this unnamed person's magic as soon as possible.

"No," Regina responded lowly.

"You don't think-" Henry started.

"It's not Emma, Henry," Regina interjected, guessing his train of thought before he could finish. Henry let out a breath of relief, though his hand tightened around his sword as he thought what everyone else was thinking. Who was doing this? And where were Snow and Charming?

"Something's very wrong. I can feel it," Red said, warily staring upwards at the windows again.

"I don't like this, sister," Grumpy chimed in, stepping forward. "We need to get in there. The only thing ever able to stop those two," he glanced up toward the loft before looking back at Regina, "from getting out of trouble is magic. And, since we don't know who is pulling the strings of this barrier, I say you bust through the damn thing and our rescue party can be on its way."

He stopped and impatiently tapped his pick axe handle against the palm of his other hand. This standing around was making him edgy. Regina sighed, seeming to mull over what he'd said. He gritted his teeth, knowing there must be few options left if Regina wasn't sending any snide remarks his way. Old habits die hard, after all. Although, them throwing words at each other once in a while was better than throwing curses and mining equipment. Regina's jaw set and she faced the building again.

"Stand back. I'm not sure how this is going to go," she said after a moment, raising her hands, a determined expression on her face.

Everyone heeded her advice, stepping back a few paces, clutching their weapons. Regina's palms started glowing as she pressed them against the invisible wall. She jolted back at first contact but kept her footing, her magic pouring into the barrier and seeming to disappear into it. Seconds later, they could see the the barrier rippling out from Regina's magic, almost making it look like the building was under water. A collective feeling of relief went through the group as they prepared to ascend the stairs. Until...

"Look!" Henry cried, pointing up to the loft windows. Grumpy felt his heart leap to his throat as the glow in the loft above them increased, the crackling and roaring of magic reaching their ears.

* * *

 

_Son of a bitch_ , Regina thought, straining all of her efforts to remain focused on maintaining control of her magic. The barrier was weakening, that much was certain, but Henry's cry and the surge of magical energy that followed turned her blood to ice. This was more than just barrier magic. They needed to get to Snow and Charming now. The familiar magical pull and sound of a portal being opened reached her, even from this distance. Whatever was happening up there, time was quickly running out.

Regina closed her eyes, blocking out everything around her as she focused on breaking down the invisible wall piece by piece. Whomever cast this was good, but not infallible. She was pushed back again as the two magics warred against each other, but still remained upright. Her efforts were tiring her and her hands were starting to shake but she kept steady, knowing something terrible may happen if she failed.

This wasn't the first danger any of them had faced together but, somehow, this felt different. Snow and her prince were like real family now, and Regina would do anything to help her family if she could. Besides Zelena. That crazy witch was on her own after they found her again and secured Robin's daughter's safety.

"Regina!" Robin yelled as sparks flew where her palms connected with the barrier. Thoughts of her wicked sister had added a little zing to her magic, prompting her to renew her efforts.

_Almost there. Come on._

Suddenly, without warning, the opposing force dissipated. Regina stumbled forward, not realizing at the time just how hard she'd been pushing herself. Robin was at her side in an instant, an arm around her waist and other hand under her elbow to keep her upright as she caught her breath.

"You did it Mom!" Henry cried, a joyous smile on his face as he hugged her. The dwarves were already filing towards the door, Red right behind them.

They abruptly stopped as Regina shook her head and gasped, "No, I didn't. It collapsed on its own."

"What?" Robin asked, squeezing her shoulders reassuringly. "What does that mean?"

Regina inhaled a shaky breath before responding. "I don't know." She looked at Red. "Do you hear anything."

After a moment, Red shook her head negatively and Regina's heart fell. This wasn't good. The group looked around at each other, the decision to ascend the stairs made with nods and tightening of fists on weapons. The dwarves led the way followed by Red, Robin, Regina, and Henry. The troop came to the door of the loft to find it had been kicked open. Regina could see that the loft was in shambles, items strewn about all over the floor like the aftermath of a wind storm. In the middle of the main room kneeled one solitary figure.

"David?" Regina questioned uncertainly.

The man in question didn't respond. Instead, he continued to sit on his knees, gaze unseeing as he pressed his palm to the floor. His breathing was uneven and he looked as if he could fall apart at any moment. Regina exhaled and reached for Robin's hand as he placed it on her shoulder. They were too late. She felt Henry peek around her shoulder to see his grandfather for himself. The dwarves had formed a half circle in front of the Prince, though they didn't approach too closely. Red was quietly standing next to David, brow furrowed and head tilted, eyes full of worry. Regina hesitantly took a few more steps into the room before kneeling in front of David.

"David," she tried again, more strongly this time.

He took a sharp breath and looked up to meet her gaze. It was as if he'd just now realized there were other people in the room with him. Regina had seen this look in his eyes before. He looked nothing short of haunted. There was a minor wound on his neck that was still bleeding, soaking into the collar of his shirt. Red knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He glanced briefly in her direction at the touch but didn't pull away as his eyes went back to where his hand was placed on the floor.

"They're gone," he rasped.

Regina gave a small nod in understanding.

"Do you know where?" she asked as gently as she could. She could hear the dwarves shuffling behind her at their prince's news. Red's eyes swam with tears. Henry came to kneel on David's other side, a slightly bewildered look on his face. David swallowed hard before replying.

"The Enchanted Forest. It was a portal."

"Who opened it?"

Anger replaced the grief in the prince's eyes. "George. He escaped his cell."

"How'd he do that?" Grumpy growled, taking a step closer to the huddle on the floor.

"Lily," David replied, eyes meeting the dwarf's.

Red let out a small gasp, the hand on David's shoulder tightening reflexively. Henry's hand clasped his grandfather's other shoulder bracingly. Regina closed her eyes in understanding, opening them again to find David looking towards the other side of the room. He stood and strode over to the far wall, stooping to pick up a small object from the floor.

"This was how she did it. She was holding it when the portal opened. Snow.." he cleared his throat, "Snow told me this is what she used."

The group gathered around to warily look at the necklace. It looked innocent enough but there was obviously more to it.

"It's part of the egg Lily hatched from," David explained, remembering what Emma had told them. He looked at Regina. "Any idea how she got it to work?"

"I have a few guesses. May I?" She held out her hand and David handed the necklace over. She turned it over as everyone looked on.

"Well, a dragon egg is naturally full of magical properties and this particular one is from our land. It stands to reason she could have used it. I'm just not sure on the logistics.." she trailed off, handing it back to David.

"Maybe we should talk to Belle? If anything, she can start researching," Henry suggested, still staring at David with concern.

Grumpy "humphed" at the suggestion, his disdain for the man that would accompany Belle apparent. Regina certainly couldn't blame him for that.

"That's a good suggestion, Henry," Doc said. All but David and Regina muttered their general agreement

"Do you have something else in mind?" Robin asked, pulling the prince from his thoughts.

David rubbed a hand over his face, other hand on his hip. The talks had pulled him out of the initial shock of losing Snow and Neal. He'd deal with the emotional piece later. Right now, they needed a plan. He needed to do something.

"I'm going to talk to Emma."

All eyes snapped to him.

"I think you," he continued, tilting his head to the dwarves, "should go scout around town. Make sure everyone is alright. Who knows if anyone else was set loose when George escaped."

The dwarves glanced at each other, nodding in agreement.

"Red, can you go talk to Belle? Maybe fill Granny in and have her find the rest of the guard?"

"Of course," she responded.

"Robin, can you head to the forest and warn your men? We could use all the trustworthy eyes we can get right now."

Robin looked uncertainly at Regina, but nodded as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Regina, Henry," he said, eyes going from one to the other, "I need you with me."

* * *

 

Everyone started filing out to their respective assignments. David went to the bedroom to see what weapons they'd stashed there since his sword was now in the Enchanted Forest. If anything, he figured he could grab Snow's bow and arrows from their hidden spot on top of the armoire. He stopped abruptly when he saw Neal's overturned cradle. Slowly, he bent down and carefully set it upright again, tears pricking his eyes. The mere thought of his son being in that crib when it fell infuriated and sickened him.

He took a deep, shaky breath. He needed to focus. Reaching up, he grabbed his wife's trusty weapon of choice along with a knife that he stuck in his boot. Perhaps Rumpelstiltskin would have a spare sword he could purchase for the time being. He'd need one when he found a way back to the Forest. His heart clenched at the thought, hoping Snow was alright. She could take care of herself, he knew, but George was unrelenting in his revenge and Lily was an unexpected wild card.

Exiting the bedroom, he made his way to the front door, trying not to look at the destruction in the loft. Henry and Regina had waited outside on the landing, giving him a little time and space. He glanced inside once more before shutting the door and leading the way down the stairs.

"Do you think Mom knows anything?" Henry asked him as they stepped outside. David knew his grandson was still upset with his mother for what she'd done, and that he didn't trust her.

"I don't know. I'm hoping she can give us a little direction at least. She knew Lily better than anyone," David replied as they made their way to the truck.

He wished he knew why his daughter hadn't come to the loft. A small, nagging part of him felt that Emma knew what was happening and chose not to come; he hated that part. However, it was hard to argue with the fact that the Dark One in any form usually knew the ins and outs of anything magical happening in this town. The bigger part of him, the father in him, felt like something must have kept her from coming to their aid. She was still their Emma and he couldn't bring himself to even think that she'd betray her family like this. Something must have happened.

"How do you plan on approaching this?" Regina asked, stepping aside for Henry to sit in the middle seat by David while she slid into the other passenger seat. "She's not exactly the model ally at the moment."

"I'm aware," David rejoined dryly, turning on the headlights, shifting the truck, and steering in the direction of Emma's new place. "Either way, she deserves to know what happened to her mother and brother. No matter what, she's still my daughter. I'm hoping that alone will convince her to help us."

"Gramps, what if she wants you to make a deal? She's already manipulated all of us, who's to say she won't do it again? We have no idea what her motives are," Henry replied, betrayal and hurt tinging his voice. By her expression, Regina privately agreed with her son.

"I have to try, Henry," was all he could say.

His heart pained at the amount of animosity Henry had towards Emma, however warranted. Their family was emotionally and now physically torn apart and it killed him. He was not going to let this happen. They continued the rest of the way in silence, Henry nervously fiddling with the hilt of the sword David had gifted him, Regina staring out of the window as though deep in thought.

Walking up the steps of Emma's house, they weren't greeted by anything out of the ordinary. David knocked on the door and leaned a forearm against the doorframe, listening intently. Regina stood alert on the other side of the doorway, Henry looking sullen behind her. He knocked again. Still no answer. Grasping the doorknob, he was surprised to find it turning for him. He met Regina's gaze and nodded before turning the handle the rest of the way and opening the door.

"Emma!" he called. Silence.

"She's probably not here," Regina said, looking around.

David shook his head, the feeling of something being off prickling the back of his neck. For the second time tonight, he knew something wasn't right.

"I'll check the basement," Henry offered, making his way down the stairs.

Regina walked quickly down the hallway ahead, leaving David to search the main living area. He stepped around the couch, alert for anything amiss, and almost jumped at the sight of Emma laying on the couch. She was on her side, eyes closed as if sleeping, but that wasn't what caught her father's attention. His eyes scanned the magical cuff that was on her wrist before he knelt beside her and shook her gently on the arm.

"Emma."

To his relief, her eyes fluttered open. She met his gaze with a look he hadn't seen since she'd sacrificed herself to the darkness. It scared him to see her this way. His daughter looked so vulnerable, David had to resist every parental urge in him not to pull her into his arms and hug her. Instead, he asked, "What happened?"

* * *

 

David sat in the chair across from Emma, unable to find words after what he'd just heard. His daughter avoided his gaze as she sat stiffly on the couch next to Regina, who looked like she had plenty to say for everyone.

"You turned _Hook_ into a Dark One?"

"It was the only way to save him," Emma responded, still staring ahead at nothing in particular. Her voice was almost a whisper, the harsh even tone she'd adopted since taking on the darkness, but David could see the cracks starting to show through. While not wanting to see her in pain, he couldn't help but feel hopeful that he could still glimpse the real Emma under the Dark One's facade.

"And you didn't think of the consequences to everyone else?" Regina continued, clearly exasperated.

"I couldn't just let him die, _you_ can understand that." Her words were directed at Regina, but they tugged at David's heart. Yes, he certainly could understand.

"Well _yes_ but..." Regina shook her head and let out a breath of frustration, "Now we have a bigger problem."

"I know," Emma continued. "I didn't think any of this would happen. I was trying to get rid of the darkness for good. You can't tell me after all Zelena's done to you your life wouldn't be easier if she were gone. I was doing you a favor."

David shook his head and spoke before Regina could. "This is pre-meditated murder, Emma. You should have come to us." She still avoided looking at him. He glanced at Regina for backup.

"And risk losing someone else?" Emma asked, emotion lacing her voice. "I thought the best way to control the darkness was to isolate myself but when I did that there was no one around to give me hope or tell me when I was being stupid."

"Fine, you're being stupid. So stop it," Regina interjected, standing up and moving to lean her hands on the back of the couch. "Right now we have to clean up this mess. Although, which one should we start with?"

"What do you mean 'which one'?" Emma asked, furrowing her brow and glancing at Regina, who was looking at David. Emma turned to him, looking as if she actually sees him for the first time. "What's going on?"

David exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face, feeling old and tired. "Your mother and brother were taken, Emma."

Her lips opened in surprise, eyes widening. "What do you mean 'taken'?" Her eyes flitted briefly to his neck, though he was sure it had stopped bleeding by now.

"Lily and George took them through a portal to the Enchanted Forest. I uh..." he cleared his throat, trying to get his emotions in check again before continuing. "I couldn't stop it. George took Neal first and Snow followed after pushing Lily in. George is going to try and pass your brother off as his own heir. She didn't want Neal to be alone."

David swallowed hard. Of all the times he wanted his Emma back, now was when he wished it most.

"Why didn't I feel her get through my barrier?" Emma asked, almost to herself, looking down at her palms.

"Barrier?" Regina responded, tilting her head to look back down at Emma.

"I had a protection spell on the loft, how'd she get through without me knowing?"

David's heart skipped a beat. Emma _had_ tried to protect them.

Regina contemplated an answer, but Emma spoke first as she raised her hand. "The cuff. I couldn't feel it because of the cuff."

"Which leads us back to the immediate problem at hand. Hook," Regina said.

David was still looking at Emma like he could hug her at any moment, but she was too distracted to notice. He mentally shook himself, bringing all of his attention back to the task at hand.

"Give us back our memories, Emma," he said calmly. "Your dream catchers. Regina can access them right? We can piece together Hook's plan and stop him."

"Actually, no we can't," Henry said, coming into the room and looking at Emma. "I looked where you said they'd be. They're gone."

They all glanced at each other. David exhaled again, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. Of course the dream catchers are gone, but why? He looked up, finding Emma staring at him now.

"What the hell is Captain Dark One up to?" Regina asked.

"I'd tell you but he took my memories when he took the dream catchers," Emma replied irritably. Another moment of stunned silence.

"We need to find them," Henry said. "We'll find them and get our memories back. That's the first step. What are we going to do about Grandma and Neal though? We can't just leave them in the Forest."

Emma blinks, still staring at David. He's not sure what she's thinking but it's the same look Snow gets when she's weighing options. It fills his heart yet makes it break at the same time.

"David."

He startles, blinking up at Regina. "Sorry, what?"

Regina's eyes grew slightly softer but her tone remained calmly stern. "We need a plan. I know your first instinct is to find your family but we aren't even sure how we can send you back to them yet. Plus, with Hook on the loose, who knows what will happen now."

"How did Lily open a portal?" Everyone turned to look at Emma again, but her eyes were on her father.

David pulled the necklace from his pocket and handed it to her. "She used this. None of us are sure how it worked. Belle should be looking into it... Emma?"

Emma hadn't taken her eyes off of the dragon egg necklace. "It's from the Enchanted Forest. Dragons are some of the most magical creatures to exist in any realm. It might have created the connection to send Lily back to where she originated."

"It could be a tether?" Regina asked, starting to follow Emma's train of thought. "That would work but it would need an anchor. Maleficent is a part of its creation but she's here."

"Anchor?" David asked.

"A tether is a magical connection. Anchors are the points it is connected to," Regina explained. "The egg was a part of Lily, as it is a part of Maleficent. How they are connected to each other and also how they are connected to where they came from."

"So," Henry chimed in slowly, "there must be another anchor in the Forest."

"Lily's father," David finished and stood up. "We need to find Maleficent. Maybe she can help us."

"No offense, but I doubt she'll be interested in helping _you_ ," Regina said regretfully, arms crossed.

"Probably not," he responded. "But she'll want her daughter back. I can help ensure that she's found."

"What about Hook?" Henry asked, glancing at Emma."We need to figure out what his plan is."

_Ring.. ring.. ring.._

Regina pulled out her cell phone and answered, "Hello." She knit her brow, letting out an exasperated, "Seriously?"

Henry moved closer to David, both of them trying to hear what was being said on the other end of the conversation. Emma stood completely still, listening attentively.

"Ok, we'll be right there. I love you too," Regina finished, a small smile on her lips at the last words.

"What did he say?" Emma asked.

"It seems your pirate has regained his flare for the dramatic. We need to get to the library. Now."

* * *

 

Heavy. Everything feels heavy.

Snow tries to move, but her body doesn't want to comply. She slowly opens her eyes, ignoring the pain that is pulsing in her head and the nausea that comes with it. She's lying on the ground and can faintly make out the outline of trees against sky through her blurred vision. Someone puts a hand on her shoulder as she tries to sit up.

"Easy, it's alright," an unfamiliar voice whispers softly.

_Right_ , Snow manages to piece together as she closes her eyes again, _The Enchanted Forest_. Groaning, Snow turns to her side, hand rubbing the back of her head only to find that a bandage had been wrapped there. She can vaguely feel it wound over her forehead as well.

_Where's Neal?_

"Your husband has your son, but he's safe. Please try to stay calm, the bleeding only just stopped," the female voice said, soft but urgent. Snow felt the stranger shift to crouch in front of her, hand still comforting on her arm.

_Charming_ , Snow thought. _He came._

"Where are they?" Snow managed to say despite how dry her mouth was.

"It's been decades since King George was last seen. And here he is, returned with a new Queen and infant son. You'll understand it has raised much suspicion. He is trying to answer questions and calm any concerns."

Snow could sense something in the woman's voice. She was skeptical and careful, obviously unsure of George's fabricated story. And yet, here she was, trying to help her anyways.

Snow opened her eyes again and thought she was having visions of wishful thinking. The woman looked like Emma at first glance, but a blink cleared the vision away. She had similar features to Emma, that was all. Long blonde hair, a lean frame, and fair sun-kissed skin. Her eyes were a beautiful blue, unlike Emma's green, but they held the familiar look of guarded wariness. Snow saw she'd equipped herself with bow and arrows, as well as two short blades sheathed at each side.

"Is there another woman with him?" Snow asked, feeling like her mind was slowly beginning to wake up again.

"Yes, she went with him," the stranger said warily.

"She's dangerous. Everyone needs to be careful," Snow responded urgently.

The other woman's brow furrowed and she leaned in closer and whispered, "What do you mean?"

"Please. George will want to move on to reclaim the throne at the castle. Lily, the other woman, is dangerous. More dangerous than you can imagine. Please, convince your people to heed his demands until help arrives. George.." Snow swallowed, tears filling her eyes, "He's taken my son and I from my husband and daughter. I am not _his_ Queen."

The woman gazed at Snow for a moment, hand still on her shoulder. "I assumed as much when he left you in this state."

Snow exhaled. Somehow, she knew this woman believed her. Maybe it was the concussion or the fact that she looked like her Emma, but Snow trusted her.

"My husband will come for me. I don't know when, but he'll find us. He always does."

The woman nodded and whispered, "What is his name?"

"David," Snow breathed, the pain in her heart echoing the pain in her head. "Please, if you come across him, tell him you spoke to me. Please."

Her vision was going fuzzy again, threatening to lull her back to sleep. Snow knew she shouldn't, but the pull to rest was overwhelming. She felt the stranger squeeze her shoulder gently. The last thing Snow remembered before sinking back into the darkness was the woman's voice.

"I promise."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Greetings everyone! Sorry this took me a bit as I got side tracked with a one shot idea that spiraled out of control (not quite as much as this one, but still :P) and watched the first two 5B episodes. Snow White is back! *falls over***

* * *

Snow slowly opened her eyes, unsure of where she was. It was dark and the air was cold. She groaned as she sat up, closing her eyes at the feeling of vertigo that hit her as she did so, gripping the edge of whatever she was sitting on. Her muscles felt tense and stiff, as if she'd been dragged across the kingdom behind a horse.

_Well, maybe I was_ , she thought ruefully, her present predicament slowly starting to trickle to her mind again.

_Neal_.

Snow's eyes snapped open, searching frantically around her. She recognized the tall, rock walls; gritted her teeth as she took in the bars blocking her escape. Rising, she strode over and shook the bars, ignoring the throbbing in her head. She climbed up, pushing and pulling at the frame nailed into the rock walls. Try as she might, they did not yield, still strong and firm despite their age.

This was the second time she'd ended up in this cell at King George's command, and did she ever want to run him through with Charming's sword for it. Returning to the ground, she huffed out a breath and brushed the hair from her eyes. She bent to search the ground for anything that would aid in her escape. A rock. A piece of metal. Anything.

Her chest was extremely tender, a further reminder of her separation from her son. _How long had she been down here?_ She only hoped that wherever they were keeping him, he wasn't hungry. Searching the floor wasn't helpful, so she moved on to the wooden slab she'd been laying on. Nothing. It was fashioned like a puzzle so no screws or nails were needed.

_Damnit_.

Snow's head snapped up at the sound of footsteps approaching. There was also the unmistakable sound of Neal crying, echoing around the walls and making her heart ache with longing. She stood up, jaw set, masking the emotions that threatened to play across her face. Her eyes narrowed as George came into view, Neal wailing in his arms. They weren't alone either, she noticed with some satisfaction, as three armed men came into view behind them.

Snow crossed her arms and leaned against the bars, trying to appear as unphased as possible. George approached her, a sneer on his face.

"Good to see you up and about Snow White. How are you enjoying your accommodations?"

"I've had worse," she replied dryly, looking at Neal. He'd quieted down in her presence, looking in her direction expectantly. George seemed to pick up on this.

"I will open this cell and allow you one hour with the child. I will then send someone for him."

"Done pretending I'm your queen then?" Snow asked, anger lacing her voice. George smirked.

"As far as anyone is concerned you are ill and taken to bed after our journey from another land." Snow glanced at the three guards behind him. George, seeing this, continued, "There are a few who know of our.. situation. Lily has been kind enough to educate them fully."

Snow's heart sank. Fear was a great weapon for those who wanted power. It might not earn loyalty but it earned submission. She wondered if the woman who had helped her passed on her message.

"One hour, Snow White," George repeated, tilting his head to signal a guard to open the cell. George slipped Neal into her arms haphazardly before turning swiftly and walking back down the tunnel.

Snow turned, not wanting the guards to see her tears, as she heard the door clang shut behind her and the lock turned. As their footsteps retreated, Snow let out a muffled cry as she kissed Neal's cheek. He appeared unharmed, thank the gods. She settled on the wooden slab, pulling her shirt up and helping her son to her breast. His blue eyes looked adoringly up at her. Blue eyes, just like Charming.

Biting back a sob, Snow lightly stroked Neal's soft hair as he nursed eagerly. Although she was once again in the castle she and David had called home, nothing about it was right anymore. It was missing her Charming. It was missing Emma and Henry. Their allies and friends. Everything that would have made it a home wasn't there. She wondered how they were and if they were safe.

As if sensing her distress, Neal grabbed onto her finger with his tiny fist, holding on tightly. Snow smiled softly down at him.

"Well aren't you your father's son, my sweet boy."

Neal's eyes were growing heavy as he continued to gaze at her, his little fist holding her finger.

"Don't worry, my prince," she whispered, bending her head to kiss his forehead. "We'll see Daddy again soon; and Emma and Henry; and Regina and Red and the dwarfs." Snow chuckled softly. "And any other surprise relations we may find out about before then."

She shifted to lean against the stone wall behind her, watching her son's eyes close as he faded, thinking over her own words. Snow knew they would find her, or she them if she had her way. It was the family motto, after all. She just needed to have faith.

* * *

 

**I had to get this scene in. I've pictured it from the moment I started mapping out this story. I know it was a short chapter but it's a good stopping point for what will happen next. Get ready for lots of happenings next chapter!**


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